WEATHER WORSE OVER EVEREST

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27046, 22 May 1953, Page 9

WEATHER WORSE OVER EVEREST

Party Likely To Have (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) KATMANDU, May 20. The weather became worse over Mount Everest today, and experts at Katmandu said that if the British expedition had made their first assault on the summit last week-end and failed, they must now withdraw to the advanced base camp to prepare for another try. Colonel John Hunt and his party of 13 are presumed to have taken advantage of the fair weather over the last few days to press on with the final phase of the ascent. According to schedule, it should have been during last week-end. It was planned to use the "closed circuit” oxygen equipment first, and if the advance party failed to reach the summit, then it was to be followed the next day by another advance party using the “open circuit” system (with the new, and largely untested “closed circuit” apparatus, the climbers breathe only pure oxygen). The "open circuit’’ system has long been used with success. . „ If both attempts were to fail, the expedition planned to withdraw from the heights of Everest for as long as 10 days, if necessary, to prepare for a third attempt. Weather forecasts for the expedition, broadcast yesterday, indicate that the fine spell may be breaking, and this was confirmed by reports of a continuing deterioration today. The bulletin for the next 24 hours forecast cloudy to overcast skies over Everest during this evening and night. The winds will remain at 35 to 40 knots at 29,000 ft—the height of Everest. The bulletin also forecast a drop in temperature—it will be minus 22 to minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with minus 16 to minus 12 degrees yesterday.